T4G Another Reflection

Mike Leake 2 Comments

Following a remark that John MacArthur made regarding his approach to preaching (preaching to the mind primarily rather than an emphasis on the heart or the will) Mike and I had a conversation wondering how that applies. Was that a regulative statement MacArthur recommends to all or more of personal confession?

We are emotional creatures and certainly if we love God will our entire being our emotions should be fervently his. I can preach gut wrenching stories using music to set the atmosphere and hopefully touch the strings of the heart so that people have a burning desire to come to God. And yet, the emotions of the moment cause us to do so many things that we quickly set aside.

What about our will? Certainly we must choose to follow Christ. I am not speaking merely in the sense of responding to God’s salvation call (general and specific) but also our choice every day to deny self, take up one’s cross, and follow Jesus. People need to know they must choose and set their will toward Christ. Yet our will is tied so deeply to our desires and world perspective, choice is not enough. I can choose sincerely. I can sincerely, earnestly, and best-intentionally choose the wrong path.

What about preaching to the mind? We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. People need to think things through so that they are not simply following their ‘gut’ feeling nor choosing out of their own wisdom. Yet, our minds can concoct all sorts of ideas and inventions. It is the Word of God and the wisdom of God at work in the person that makes the difference. But we are not merely intellectual beings. We have will. We have hearts. We are a mixture.

At the time, our discussion (Mike and myself) was probably briefer than the time it took for me to type this out. Our ‘off the cuff’ conclusion was a reminder that MacArthur is preaching to a certain group of people….who face their unique challenges and temptations.

But on Thursday morning, we experienced a deeper understanding of preaching to mind, will, and heart. C. J. Mahaney preached a message to the pastors. It was an encouragement and admonition to enduring faithfulness to the call. It was a passionate sermon from a passionate man. MacArthur’s message to us was certainly passionate, but not as ’emotional’. We saw two men who brought us the Word of God…..after it had flowed through their hearts, souls, and minds. God spoke through both of these men….one was speaking to our minds and touched our hearts. The other spoke to our hearts and touched our minds. Both implanted a deeper to desire to choose to follow Christ all the more.

The lesson learned…..As ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ, God created us to speak to the people in our mission fields only as the word flows through us. We are not parrots who simply mimic the words and personality of someone else. We are uniquely created, wonderfully redeemed, and specifically equipped for our mission field. May the Word dwell richly in us so that Christ will flow through us so that the lost will be saved, the saved will be discipled, and — and above all else — the Father will be glorified through the Son.

T4G Reflections: My Broken Prayer, All I Have is Christ

Mike Leake 3 Comments

I forget who said it.  Honestly, I forget what they said.  All I remember is asking myself asking one question. What am I unwilling to lose?  Quickly rising up in my soul was the answer: my life.  Of course that means a ton of different things.  It means I have had a death grip on trying to attain a certain outcome for my life.  It means I have foolish, yet tight fisted, reign on what I am willing to do and not do in my walk with Christ.  I struggle with pride, self-righteousness, and just outright complacency. 

All of this was simmering in my heart for a day.  Wednesday evening during the first song Bob Kauflin said, “all I have is Christ” in one of his songs.  This jolted my heart.  I had trouble focusing on the next couple of songs because I let (rather was prodded to let) these words toss around in my soul.  Then he played this song:

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That video was from a NA Conference not T4G.  But the lyrics are the same. 

Then John Piper preached essentially what this song meant.  You can watch the sermon if you like, but I will attempt to summarize.  Piper’s text was Luke 18.  He pointed out the self-righteousness of the Pharisee.  It was not that he was trusting in his own works and merits.  The Pharisee was trusting in a God wrought righteousness in his own life.  The problem, said Piper, is that he was not trusting on Christ—the tax collector was.  He brought out Philippians 3 and Paul essentially was the Pharisee and now he is the tax collector.  Piper further gave the example of the Rich Young Ruler—one thing he lacked: let go of money, let it fall to the poor, and cling to Christ.  The one thing he lacked was Christ.  In other words the song of the believer truly is All I Have is Christ.  Watch the Piper video if you want, but please do not neglect to read my closing comments:

T4G 2010 — Session 6 — John Piper from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

God used this song and this sermon to renew a spark of the gospel in my heart.  During this time I found myself praying that the Lord would break me.  Break me of every vestige of self-righteousness that I may cling to Christ alone.  Break me of a foolishness that wants to cling to my life. 

If you follow this blog, or are my friend and read this, remind me in a couple of months when I’m “broken” about this prayer and where my brokenness stems from.  Lord make me a gospel man!

Newton: The Danger of Following Preachers Instead of Christ

Mike Leake 5 Comments

What I have observed of many, who run about unseasonably after new preachers, has reminded me of Pro. 27:8, “As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is the man that wanders from his place.” Such unsettled hearers seldom thrive: they usually grow wise in their own conceits, have their heads filled with notions, acquire a dry, critical, and censorious spirit; and are more intent upon disputing who is the best preacher, than upon obtaining benefit to themselves from what they hear. If you could find a man, indeed, who had a power in himself of dispensing a blessing to your soul, you might follow him from place to place; but as the blessing is in the Lord’s hands, you will be more likely to receive it by waiting where his providence has placed you, and where he has met with you before.

When this gets posted, Lord willing, I will be attending the final day of Together for the Gospel.  The men that have spoken are some of the most gifted ministers of the gospel in our day.  It would be quite easy to begin following men as well as following preachers instead of Christ.  Newton’s wise counsel here bears following. 

In our day and age you can spend hours listening to many really good sermons.  But it may be wise for you to heed this counsel from Newton as well:

In the first place, be cautious that you do not degenerate into the spirit of a mere hearer, so as to place the chief stress of your profession upon running hither and there after preachers. There are many who are always upon the wing; and, without a due regard to what is incumbent upon them in the shop, in the family, or in private devotion—they seem to think they were sent into the world only to hear sermons, and to hear as many in a day as they possibly can. Such people may be fitly compared to Pharaoh’s lean cows; they devour a great deal; but, for lack of a proper digestion, they do not flourish: their souls are lean: they have little solid comfort; and their profession abounds more in leaves than in fruit.

There are others gems in this letter, you might want to read the entire letter: On Hearing Sermons

Heresy, Error, or Truth? Sabellius’ Brood

Mike Leake 6 Comments

…the one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah revealed himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus Jesus Christ was and is God. In other words, Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9).

While fully God, Jesus was also fully man, possessing a full and true humanity. He was both God and man. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is God with us and in us. Thus God is manifested as Father in creation and as the Father of the Son, in the Son for our redemption, and as the Holy Spirit in our regeneration.

This is the doctrinal statement of a modern day movement that has its roots in the teaching of a man named Sabellius.  This teaching is closely related to Modalistic Monarchianism and Patripassianism. 

I will tell you up front that this teaching is considered heresy.  Your task is to tell me whether or not you agree and why.

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